This invention relates to illuminated real estate signs and to methods of marketing real estate.
For quite some time, real estate signs have played a significant role in transferring interests in real property, whether by sale or lease. In front of homes and businesses all over the country, real estate signs notify the public that a given piece of property is available for sale, lease, or possibly other arrangements as real property owner(s) may desire. A fair amount of interest in properties is sparked when people for one reason or another happen to pass by and see a real estate sign located on the property. Indeed, simply driving around neighborhoods looking for real estate signs is a common way that people learn that a particular property is available for sale or lease.
Several different types of real estate signs exist in the marketplace. The signs themselves are typically metallic and are supported by metal or wood structures that are usually affixed to the front lawn of the property, or other suitable locations that are visible to the public. The signs themselves are often thin, rectangular panels overlaid with text and graphics capable of withstanding the elements. However, wood, plastic, and cardboard signs of lesser durability may also be found which serve the same purpose of notifying the public that the property is available for sale or lease. The structures supporting real estate signs are typically one of two basic constructions. First, a wooden cross arm structure from which the sign is suspended is common. A second type of structure incorporates metallic poles attached to each side of the real estate sign.
A disadvantage of real estate signs is that they are often difficult to read, and sometimes difficult to see at all, after dark. While a portion of the market of potential buyers and/or lessors has ample opportunity to locate and read real estate signs in daylight hours, an increasing portion of the market does not. Also, even if a real estate sign is noticed in the darkness, the darkness makes it difficult to read key information (e.g. phone numbers and real estate company names) on the signs. These difficulties may cause a potential buyer or lessor to refrain from viewing properties at night altogether and certainly impedes the progress of those that do. Therefore, an appreciable portion of the interested market may not get the opportunity to view properties because they could not easily find them at night.
One type of real estate signs has spot lights or flood lights in a cross arm that shine down upon a suspended display panel. The display panel is overlaid with information regarding marketing information about the property. The lights are located in the cross arm, along with other components, such as a battery, an alarm, a radio transmitter, a thermal sensor and/or heating coils to help ensure that the sign remains in place and remains visible at night to convey information about the property to potentially interested parties. While this type of sign provides a partial solution to the problems associated with viewing real estate properties at night, it is not without disadvantages.
For instance, the lighted real estate signs of this type may blend in with a multitude of lights in a neighborhood so that it becomes easy to miss unless one is carefully looking for it. For instance, porch lights, yard lights, street lights, and light coming through windows may make the sign difficult to see and read from certain vantage points where the surrounding light field backlights the sign and camouflages it. Also, when lit, the sign is practically invisible when viewed from a side perspective. Because of the relative thinness of the display panel, the silhouette of the sign may be made out only when one stands at a sufficient angle relative to the front or back faces of a sign. In other words, even though the lights shine down upon the face of the sign at night, the sign may nonetheless be virtually invisible from the side. Thus, it is possible that one could drive by this type of sign at night and completely miss it if the sign is approached from certain angles and/or a distracted driver or passenger briefly glances at the property only from a perspective in which the sign cannot be seen. Finally, the harsh bright light of this type of sign is prone to glare, and may be unwelcomed by the neighbors.